The Instructor 2.12.127

Summary: Christian women should reject courtesan-like adornment and be adorned with good works.

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Greek text · Stählin 1:233

Ἀποθέμεναι τοίνυν τοὺς λήρους αὐτῷ πονηρῷ σοφιστῇ τοῦ ἑταιρικοῦ τούτου μὴ μετεχόντων καλλωπισμοῦ μηδὲ εἰδωλολατρούντων διὰ παραπετάσματος εὐπρεποῦς. πάνυ γοῦν θαυμασίως ὁ Πέτρος ὁ μακάριος »γυναῖκας«, φησίν, »ὡσαύτως μὴ ἐν πλέγμασιν ἢ χρυσῷ ἢ μαργαρίταις ἢ ἱματισμῷ πολυτελεῖ, ἀλλʼ ὃ πρέπει γυναιξὶν ἐπαγγελλομέναις θεοσέβειαν, διʼ ἔργων ἀγαθῶν σφᾶς αὐτὰς κοσμουσῶν.«

English · Claude translation

Laying aside, then, these trifles for the evil sophist himself, let them not share in this courtesan's adornment, nor commit idolatry behind a fine-looking screen. Very admirably the blessed Peter says: “Likewise women, not with braids or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, as befits women who profess godliness, adorning themselves with good works.”

About this passage

Source
Stählin 1:233 · Otto Stählin, ed., Clemens Alexandrinus, vol. 1, Protrepticus und Paedagogus, GCS 12 (Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1905) · Greek text: Otto Stählin, Clemens Alexandrinus 1: Protrepticus und Paedagogus (GCS 12, 1905), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0
Translation
Claude translation (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26 · Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Stählin (1905); made independently of existing English translations.
Scripture
Topics
Ethics

Notes

Translation notes

  • The quotation is 1 Tim 2:9–10, which Clement attributes to Peter, perhaps confusing it with 1 Pet 3:3.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (accent: grave on the relative ὃ; accent: grave on ἢ): ἐν πλέγμασιν ἤ χρυσῷ → ἐν πλέγμασιν ἢ χρυσῷ; ἀλλʼ ὅ πρέπει → ἀλλʼ ὃ πρέπει.

Cite this passage

Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 2.12.127 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/2/12/127/).

Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 2.12.127 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/2/12/127/).

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